always at sea level: Week 10 ~ Big Blow in the Bay

We're 3 days shy of being here 3 months. Already!

Is it any different than what we experienced the first few months last year? Mostly not but there are a few new twists.

Within the first week last year we suddenly found ourselves without water. You start trouble shooting the obvious, “is there water in the tank?” than move on. A clogged pipe was the culprit....removed, replaced and we're back in business. This year, again within the first week a part on our furnace/boiler decided to bite the dust. Nothing to get excited about, it's still warm enough that we don't need the furnace and I can heat water on the stove. Bucket showers are no stranger to us so we decline Ken's offer to have the part flown it, we can wait till the barge arrives sometime in October. Being a caretaker means dealing with the unexpected. Well who could foreseen that a fuel shortage in western Canada would keep the vessel from making her rounds up the coast. It's become routine to keep a large stockpot of water on the stove, the wood baskets full. I'm a many layered person on a regular bases ( I still don't like the cold) but it's getting to the point of being comical. T-shirt, fleece sweater, fleece jacket, fleece lined sweats,heavy socks, fleece line slippers and to top it all off, a floor lengh housecoat. Now this attire is only for morning coffee since the mornings are the coldest. Steaming cups of coffee warm not only my insides but also my hands as I sit at the computer checking emails, writing emails, checking flights to anywhere warm ( just joking) and seeing what is new at the movies to download. Morning routine.

One more small bit of info on this subject. The barge has left the dock and by the time you read this she should be making here way to us and with any luck we'll be taking a looooong hot shower by Sunday!

Slick is still around. We must be on his route. He'll suddenly be at the kitchen door, sniffing around pawing at the ground, for what I don't know.

He's a pretty relaxed bear, I open the door to get a better picture.....he looks at me, I look at him than he'll wander off but not far.

Food time. Pork, apples, sausage, prunes, sauerkraut and red wine sounds, like a list of ingredients for a Top Chef challenge.

What will it be..... “bigos stew”.

When I'm looking for something different for dinner it starts with what's in the pantry. There no running out to the store here and a lot of recipes get reinvented but when I came across this stew and had everything for it, I had to give it a try. While the combination of foods didn't make a bad tasting dish it lacked eye appeal .....but luckily there was a walnut sour cream coffee cake for dessert that was photogenic.

I love a good storm be it rain or wind or snow. I love to curl up in a warm cozy chair and watch the elements rage outside. This past weekend I had ample opportunity to do just that. Boy oh boy did the wind blow. It wasn't rattling the windows like some storms last year but than again it's only November, it was the duration and constant strength that was a new twist.